new things

it seems like in these last couple months, maddox has really changed. we think the stage after about 15 months has been such a great one (yes, in comparison to some of the others!). it is AMAZING to see him do, say and understand so many new things whereas, a year ago, we could not imagine him doing them. here are examples:

loves to sit in a real chair at a table just to play. here are he and his dear “popsh” discussing deep issues of life together last weekend.

loves lemons, hates ketchup, soup and potatoes

when we had our first fire this year, he didn’t think it was that big a deal – just walked up, said HOT and walked off

says about 50 words not counting proper names

loves being around other kids whether we’re there or not but he mellows out when around hyper kids

loves babies (good thing, right?) and remembers our friends who have them

loves going up and down stairs and says “beep beep beep” when he turns around and backs up to go down stairs or get off a bed or couch

so much else but …. is waking up now from his nap because of the racket caused by yet another huge new house being built next to us. i think they wait til 1pm exactly to do the loudest things. ugh. hopefully more later but i’ll get this up.

“obsessed” doesn’t quite say it

this is very old news by now, but maddox has an addiction. to balls. all shapes, kinds, sizes. to say he is obsessed doesn’t seem to quite encompass his feelings since that word is overused. i suspect he doesn’t go a waking minute without balls consuming his thoughts. examples:

upon waking up from nap or sleep at night, most times, the first word i hear is BALL. “ball. ball? BALL!!” times a thousand. literally he will say it so many times and he really enjoys screaming it. i thought it would be fun to report how many times i counted him saying it one day and i lost track fast. when he finally gets to his own balls in the house, he gets excited and says/screams the magic word a hundred times again as he is throwing, biting and fetching them. we have had to take a football in the car many times and he remembers it is there before we get back to the car and he sees it.

speaking of our house, these current balls occupy our floor so much that they don’t get put up: real basketball, cushy small basketball, real football, tennis ball, huge beach ball, wiffle balls, bouncy large yellow ball, bouncy small blue ball, singing plastic ball and about 5 balls that have been separated from their respective toys.

upon being anywhere, he can spot a ball. driving, in a store, anywhere, he sees it and i often don’t. yesterday, we were walking and he started in on his “ball” mantra a thousand times. i did NOT see a ball for the longest time, but then, there it was. a golf ball as the top of the flag on a mailbox. this kid is crazy-observant when it comes to this area.

other words he can clearly say and likes to say over and over are hoop and football. has anyone ever written a post this long about such a topic? is anyone even still reading? i will close with a video. it’s not the best example, but it gives you a taste of the fun i’m trying to describe.

a beautiful thing

this past weekend was a wonderful time of celebration of reed and jessica … and of worship of the One who orchestrates and completes all good things.

lissa and i giving reed and jess their survival kit for marriage

so glad their son is now another woman’s responsibility!

and here are all the pics and captions for those who can’t get enough! fyi – these are all taken or directed by my mom who is an amazing photographer.